MLF scoring format

[m&m]

Those of us who fish TRL on a regular basis catch many fish >1 lb but not always 15” keepers so I can relate to the scoring format. It is fun catching fish regardless of size.  I’m wondering what everyone else thinks about the scoring format. Is this scoring format the future of tournaments? 

Mike

[Seth]

I think the catch and instant release is the future of tournament fishing. There is no reason they can't still do the biggest five. The Bassmaster Elites do it that way for the Toyota Texas Fest. The only exception is that they allow anglers to bring on really big fish in to show crowds.

[fishinwrench]

49 minutes ago, m&m said:

Is this scoring format the future of tournaments?

I hope so!

It should have been done long before now.

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

I wonder how accurate it all can be, i see them call out the weight all the time with the fish flopping on the scale.   Has anyone used one of those scales. Maybe they are diffrent than mine, i know if my fish isnt calm it reads all over the place

[fishinwrench]

17 minutes ago, aarchdale@coresleep.com said:

I wonder how accurate it all can be, i see them call out the weight all the time with the fish flopping on the scale.   Has anyone used one of those scales. Maybe they are diffrent than mine, i know if my fish isnt calm it reads all over the place

My Berkley scale decides on a weight after a few seconds even if the fish is flopping around some.  Oddly enough, if I clear and re-weigh, it is always within a ounce or two.  

Fussing over a couple ounces is not worth thousands of guys each hauling  fish around 4-6 times per month on every lake in the U.S.

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

I just wish they would do the biggest 5. It gets exhausting watching them weigh all those little fish on MLF. Feel like your watching them weigh more fish than actually fish

[tjm]

Just do the first five keepers, less stress on all concerned, and more tavern time,  but it'd be a little harder for the bookies because of increased element of chance.  I expect that soon enough it will be digital VR fishing, thus allowing global competition. 

[fishinwrench]

50 minutes ago, aarchdale@coresleep.com said:

I just wish they would do the biggest 5. It gets exhausting watching them weigh all those little fish on MLF. Feel like your watching them weigh more fish than actually fish

Agree, there's really no need to weigh sub-legal fish.  But at this point I'm just happy to see them stop relocating all the fish from 10-60 miles away.

If you're only gonna weigh the bigger ones then OUNCES matter even less, so why even weigh them at all?  Score by 1/4 inches and make it all much easier.

It's ok if there is a tie every once in a while.   I mean seriously, does a guy really feel that he's the better fisherman if he beats his opponent by 1 ounce?  Or even 1 pound for that matter?

 

[Seth]

25 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

Agree, there's really no need to weigh sub-legal fish.  But at this point I'm just happy to see them stop relocating all the fish from 10-60 miles away.

If you're only gonna weigh the bigger ones then OUNCES matter even less, so why even weigh them at all?  Score by 1/4 inches and make it all much easier.

It's ok if there is a tie every once in a while.   I mean seriously, does a guy really feel that he's the better fisherman if he beats his opponent by 1 ounce?  Or even 1 pound for that matter?

 

That’s why they have the AOY points. Anybody can get lucky and win once in a while. That is why the Elites did away with the win and your in classic birth. If you win AOY for the season then you definitely say you are the better fisherman.

[shark bait]

2 hours ago, Seth said:

I think the catch and instant release is the future of tournament fishing. There is no reason they can't still do the biggest five. The Bassmaster Elites do it that way for the Toyota Texas Fest. The only exception is that they allow anglers to bring on really big fish in to show crowds.

The reason they can bring in one over 24 is because that is what the state allows.  There is a slot limit on Fork. You can not keep a fish between from 16 to 24 inches and you can only keep one over 24. That slot has been I. Place about 20 years now. I can see counting your best five with a weigh and immediate release. When I was in Texas we did paper tournaments on lakes like that but of course we were fishing against the person in the boat with us. We always had to have a partner.